Published: Friday, 22nd May, 2009 9:00am
Harding keen on permanent move
by Anthony Smith
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EmailDAN Harding is open to a permanent move to Reading this summer.
The on-loan Ipswich Town left-back was one of the team"s most consistent performers towards the end of the season when he came in for injured Player of the Year, Chris Armstrong.
The 25-year-old is now available on a free transfer as his contract with Ipswich has expired.
But Harding knows his chances of winning a permanent deal with the Royals will probably depend on the identity of the next manager.
'When I came here in January the team was doing so well,' said the Gloucester-born defender. 'I knew I wasn"t going to walk straight in because Chris Armstrong was doing a fantastic job.
'I needed a bit of luck to get in and Chris was unfortunate to get an injury which gave me an opportunity to play. Hopefully I showed everyone what I can do.
'I"d love to come back to Reading but obviously that"s up to the club. I would like to sit down over the summer and speak to those I need to speak to like my family.
'My contract is up at Ipswich but I suppose a lot depends on who the new manager is.'
An overhaul of the entire coaching and playing squad has already begun with senior players Graeme Murty, Marcus Hahnemann, Michael Duberry and Leroy Lita among those released.
However, Royals have offered new one-year contracts to Brynjar Gunnarsson and young goalkeeper Ben Hamer who helped Brentford win the League Two title.
Gunnarsson, 33, is believed to have other options and Hamer is weighing up whether to accept Reading"s offer or join another club where he would get more first-team action.
At this point, Hamer is set to become second-choice with Reading behind Adam Federici.
Director of football Nick Hammond stated: 'Bryn is taking a couple of days to think things over. I"m waiting for him to come back to me.
'I will be meeting with Ben Hamer next week and we"re positive on that one.'
Meanwhile, Simon Church is set to be named in the senior Wales squad for two upcoming matches when it is announced today.
Church is the Wales Under-21 captain and has scored eight times in 12 games, including three against England U21s in their European Championship play-off clash earlier this year.
He has been edging ever closer to a place in Reading"s first-team and last week he was a surprise inclusion in Steve Coppell"s starting XI for the crucial second-leg of their play-off semi-final against Burnley.
Royals lost 2-0 on the night and 3-0 on aggregate but 20-year-old Church acquitted himself well on his full debut.
He is now almost certain to be called up by Wales boss John Toshack for a friendly against Estonia in Llanelli on May 29 and a World Cup qualifier in Azerbaijan a week later.
'I think I"m in the squad and it will be really good to meet up with the players and try and work my way into the team,' said Church, who qualifies through his Welsh grandfather.
'I"m only 20 so I"m a bit overwhelmed by it. It"s been a good end to the season for me in that respect.'
Yet nothing could ease Church"s pain at missing out on promotion with Reading.
'I was overwhelmed when I found out I was starting,' he explained. 'There are not many better places to make your debut than in a play-off semi-final but we didn"t get the result we wanted.
'I would have definitely changed everything for the opportunity to get to Wembley and possibly the Premier League. There"s nothing better than that. Unfortunately the result put a dampener on the day.'
But he also declared: 'It"s a learning curve for me and hopefully there will be more chances to come.
'It"s opened doors for me. I"ve waited all season for the opportunity and hopefully I showed I can handle it.
'Now I"ll be working hard over the summer to be ready for next season.'
